Intellectual Property Rights in Students' Work

Intellectual Property Rights in Students’ Work

As a general principle, Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) affirms the values of creativity, innovation and enterprise in its student body. NP is committed to working with students to foster Intellectual Property (IP) (including Patents, Copyright which covers Creative Works, Designs, Know-how and Confidential Information) creation and encourage the successful exploitation of IP to benefit all parties involved in its creation.

NP generally does not claim ownership of IP created by students in the course of their education. This principle may be subject to variation when any one of the following circumstances apply,

Where the IP is created from programmes specifically assigned and funded by NP;
Where the IP is derived from the intellectual contribution of academic staff;
Where the IP is created with the extensive use of NP resources; or
Where the IP is developed under an externally funded agreement or collaboration agreement with third parties unless otherwise provided in the agreement.

Creative Works developed during the full term of your education with NP belong to you as the creator. The ownership of copyright in your Creative Works will be subject to the above mentioned circumstances. NP shall have the continuing, royalty-free and non-commercial right to use the Creative Works worldwide for NP’s educational, publicity and teaching purposes.

NP may take into account any exceptional circumstances or strong justifications in evaluating any decision on IP ownership.

Creative Works

Examples include: original written works, scripts, music, broadcasts, sound recordings, drawings, paintings, photographs, films, performances, models and typographical arrangements of published editions.

Extensive use of NP resources

Where there has been using of resources at NP that is not ordinarily available to most NP staff and students.
Where there has been substantial collaboration with the academic staff of NP.

The use of office, available library materials, computers with common specifications and storage servers constitutes resources that are ordinarily available to staff members and students and do not constitute substantial use of NP’s resources.